1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an absorbent article having a deodorizing function.
2. Related Art
An absorbent article such as an incontinence pad, a paper diaper, etc. and the deodorizing action are inseparably related, and the absorbent article provided with excellent deodorizing function has been continuously developed. Many attempts to add the deodorizing function to an absorbent article have been made, and, among them, compounding of particulate deodorant with the absorbent article has been frequently examined. Specifically, these attempts include adding materials having the deodorizing function such as zeolite, activated carbon, charcoal, silica gel, activated alumina, molecular sieve, cyclodextrin, and the like to a absorbent article. For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No Hei 2-307528 discloses a technique of forming an absorbent sheet having a particulate deodorant by using a binder. Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 8-176338 discloses a technique of compounding a particulate deodorant to the inside of absorbent resin particles. Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-350745 discloses a technique for compounding particulate deodorant with hydrophilic fiber without water-swelling property to form a paper sheet. Furthermore, a number of liquid deodorants such as plant extracts and the like have been introduced. Thus, it is very important to constitute an absorbent article by skillfully compounding deodorant with absorbent materials. That is, using a suitable deodorant, it is important to compound it appropriately to an absorbent article. That is, it is necessary to appropriately compound a suitable deodorant with absorbent products (articles), thus the deodorizing function thereof being greatly influenced by these factors.
However, in these conventional examples, when the particulate deodorant is used for an absorbent article, the deodorizing effect is proportional to the amount thereof added so that it is necessary to add the particulate deodorant in a large quantity. However, since the particulate deodorant itself is incapable of immobilizing itself to the absorbent (compounding itself with the absorbent article) so as to be liable to falling away, it is necessary to immobilize the particulate deodorant by any means. In this regard, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 2-307528, particulate deodorant is immobilized using binder. In this case, the binder covers up the particulate deodorant to decrease the contact area thereof with offensive odor, leading to the reduction in the deodorizing function, most likely resulting in weakening the deodorizing effect of absorbent article compounded with said deodorant. Furthermore, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 8-176338, the particulate deodorant is placed in the inside of absorbent resin particles, so that the deodorizing function of particulate deodorant is reduced, most likely resulting in decreasing the deodorizing effect of the absorbent body compounded with said deodorant. Moreover, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-350745, activated carbon is used as a deodorant. Activated carbon is black so that it most likely reduces the clean feeling and aesthetics of an absorbent article compounded wit said deodorant. Furthermore, when particulate deodorant of physical absorbent type such as activated carbon remains long in body fluid, moisture enters pores for absorbing offensive odor to reduce the deodorizing function thereof, most likely resulting in weakening the deodorizing effect of absorbent article compounded with said deodorant.
Furthermore, among conventionally introduced liquid deodorants, there are only few deodorants having sufficient function to deodorize the offensive odor of body fluid (urine in particular) so that it is necessary to add them in a large quantity. As a result, the relative volume of the absorbent body is reduced, thereby deteriorating the absorption capacity of the absorbent article produced by compounding the absorbent body, hardening the absorbent body to make it fragile, most likely worsening the wearing feeling and form stability thereof.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide an absorbent article excellent in the absorption capability and aesthetics, and having the deodorizing function with the cleanliness feeling.